Neil Cameron: Why were Aussies so keen to get Toon's bestkept secret on the plane to Brazil this summer?

Curtis Good of the Socceroos poses during an Australian Socceroos portrait session (Image: Getty Images)

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Every World Cup year finds some country giving an injured player every chance, and then some, to get fit for the tournament.

It tends to happen to the bigger stars. David Beckham and Wayne Rooney spring to mind. Both England players made the cut in recent times despite being nowhere close to being ready.

Spain are doing the same thing right now with Diego Costa.

Until he tweaked his hip during a training session last week, Australia were prepared to take a huge gamble on Newcastle United’s Curtis Good, such is the importance of the centre-half to his country.

That is Good who has made one appearance for Newcastle, against Morecambe in the Capital One Cup last season, and who managed the grand total of five appearances on loan to Dundee United thanks to injury.

Yet Australia were more than happy to go with this crocked 21-year-old, who has just about managed to hit double figures in his appearances in England when you take into account a short spell at Bradford City.

Okay, the Aussies are hardly one of football’s giants, but they are not a bad team either and surely would have more experienced defenders to call upon. Certainly with less fitness concerns than Good.

However, the lad is seriously rated by all who have worked with him. Dundee United are keen to get him back, despite spending almost all of his time sidelined.

So how good is Good, signed by Newcastle from Melbourne Heart two years ago for a tiny amount of money.

Australia coach Ange Postecoglou is clear in his belief the United fringe man has all it takes to be a top-class defender.

He said: “We wanted to give Curtis every chance and to his credit he worked really hard and did everything the medical people wanted him to do.

“We tested him out and he just could not get back up to where he wanted to and so the wise decision for him was to send him back home and to sort his injury once and for all.

“That is just how highly I rate him. He could have played a significant role in this World Cup, so I wanted to give him every chance. One thing we do know is that it probably still has not been correctly treated.

“He had three or four failed attempts which suggest to me it is probably something he needs to deal with, and his club needs to deal with, a little more urgently now to find out what the problem is.”

This appeared to be a swipe at Newcastle, but we will let that go for the moment.

Good is set for an operation this week in his home city of Melbourne and the hope is he will be back better than ever before the end of this year.

It would seem strange if he did not get a chance by the manager if, as Postecoglou says, he is talented enough to play in the World Cup.

In an interview with Goal Australia, Good made it clear he had not given up on his dream of making it at St James’ Park - even if that means him going out on loan for a third time.

Asked whether he still hope of becoming a mainstay in the United back four, Good said: “It is definitely an ambition, ever since I have gone to the UK.

“If it does not happen this year we will look for another loan and go from there. I am always improving, every loan I have had, I feel like I have improved and experienced new things.

“Newcastle try and keep in touch as much as possible (when he was out on loan).

“Hopefully, it is not usually (about) a fitness issue. I did my rehab back with Newcastle at the time.

“When I am playing I am keeping in contact after the games and they try and watch you as much as they can, which is important for you because you want to impress your parent club as well, where you are trying to break into the first team.

“It is good to know they are watching.”

Scottish football may be in a funny place, but something which never changes is the pace and sheer ferociousness of the games.

While Good did not have as much game-time as he would have liked, his hip just would not allow that, he enjoyed life at Dundee United.

He added: “I think it is a good place to be honest.

“Players have come through and kicked on, whether that is to the Premier League or the national team. It is a great place to learn your trade as a youngster, it is completely different to the A-League.

“It is important when you are young to experience it all as well, otherwise you get a shock when you are older.

“It is always good to play at a high tempo, you get that in Scotland where people put you under pressure.

“I think it was good to get up there and play those games.”

Only very few Newcastle fans have seen Good play and the noises coming from the club towards the end of the season hinted Alan Pardew had not been impressed by any of the players sent out on loan.

However, maybe, just maybe, the almost forgotten Good could still have a future at the club.

Given only a dodgy hip prevented him playing in Brazil, it would seem silly to give up on him altogether.